The Kenya Medical Practitioners, Pharmacists and Dentists’ Union (KMPDU) has called for the immediate resignation of the chairman, board of directors, and acting CEO of Nairobi Hospital, warning that the hospital is on the verge of collapse.
KMPDU Secretary General Davji Bhimji Atellah expressed his concerns on Tuesday, saying that the hospital’s situation has become critical.
“We demand the immediate resignation of the chairman, entire board of directors, and acting CEO,” Atellah stated.
Atellah further announced that KMPDU, along with the Kenya Hospitals Association (KHA) and admitting doctors, would go on strike to prevent the hospital from further deterioration.
A seven-day strike notice has been issued, which will expire at midnight on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
The strike is expected to paralyze all hospital operations, including laboratories, support staff services, and medical services.
“We want to see if the board can once again hire hoodlums, dress them in butcher coats, as they did during the AGM on December 4, 2024, to pretend to attend to patients,” Atellah said. “We call on the government to intervene and stop this crisis.”
He accused the hospital management of harassing and mistreating staff, forcing many to resign, while those who remain live in fear of victimization.
Atellah also alleged that the hospital had reduced medical cover for staff due to financial constraints, while rumors of financial mismanagement circulate.
“We have tried to engage with the management, even going to court and receiving a favorable ruling. However, the management has chosen to ignore the court orders, and we have filed for contempt proceedings,” Atellah added.
Atellah criticized the Annual General Meeting (AGM) held on December 4, 2024, at the hospital, calling it a “sham” and accusing the board of hiring goons to intimidate members.
He claimed that these individuals, dressed in butcher coats, pretended to be new registrars and were sent to disrupt the meeting, where doctors and members sought to impeach the management to save the hospital.
“The question in everyone’s mind is why such desperation exists at a time when clinical governance is at zero and the hospital faces numerous challenges, including financial mismanagement,” Atellah said.
He urged all members of the Kenya Hospital Association, admitting staff, government agencies, and the public to come together and save the hospital from its imminent collapse.
“We call on the government and people of goodwill, including the international community, to rise up and prevent the closure of this once-great institution.”
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